Today, Guelph General Hospital is celebrating a generous gift of $125,000 from the Gay Lea Foundation in support of the $34 million Together, We Care campaign, the Hospital’s most urgent community fundraising project ever. The goal of the campaign is to fund the expansion of both the Emergency Department and Special Care Nursery as well as investing in new patient care equipment and technology. To date, $32 million has been raised towards the goal.
“Gay Lea Foods has a long history and deep connection with the community of Guelph,” says Gay Lea Foundation Chair Janet Ringelberg. “We know where our roots are and are happy to help cover some of the essential costs critical to the ongoing work of the hospital. In doing so, we hope to contribute to the health of individuals and families, as well as the overall health of Guelph and its surrounding communities.”
Pictured from l-r: Guelph General Hospital Vice President Patient Services, Melissa Skinner; Together, We Care campaign co-chair, Rob Wesseling; Gay Lea Foundation Chair, Janet Ringelberg; Gay Lea Foods Chair, Rob Goodwill; The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital CEO, Suzanne Bone; and, Gay Lea Foods President & CEO, Michael Barrett.
The gift of $125,000 was presented today to Guelph General Hospital Vice President Patient Services, Melissa Skinner, The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital CEO, Suzanne Bone and Together, We Care campaign co-chair, Rob Wesseling in front of Gay Lea Foods’ long-time Speedvale Avenue W. location in Guelph. The gift represents the single largest donation made by the Gay Lea Foundation, which is supported through the generosity of the co-operative and individual donations by employees and members.
“As a co-operative, we care about making sure that the value our business creates flows to our members, our customers, our employees and our communities,” says Gay Lea Foods Chair, Rob Goodwill. “This gift is one way we can do that and proudly live our vision of Enriching communities co-operatively.”
“I am delighted and grateful to see a fellow co-operative make this generous contribution, as we know that prioritizing the health and well-being of our citizens is critical to building strong and resilient communities,” explains Rob Wesseling President and CEO, The Co-operators, and co-chair of The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital’s Together We Care fundraising campaign. “This donation will go a long way in ensuring that Guelph General Hospital continues to have the space and the resources available for our families, friends and neighbours to receive the care they need, when they need it most.”
The generous donation was welcomed by hospital President and CEO, Marianne Walker. “We are extremely grateful to have such wonderful supporters in our community. Gifts like this enable us to purchase the equipment and technology that helps us save lives and improve health. Especially now, in this time of the unprecedented challenges we face during this health crisis, we are so very grateful to corporate partners like the Gay Lea Foundation for helping us provide the highest quality care and experience to our patients.”
